Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs from Delhi have approached the Delhi High Court, urging the court to direct the state government to forward 14 pending Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports to the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly promptly.
They also sought an order for the Speaker to convene a special Assembly session under Article 151(2) of the Constitution to table the reports without further delay.
The petition highlighted constitutional obligations regarding the timely presentation of CAG reports in the Assembly. It stated that after audits were conducted, the CAG promptly submitted its reports to the Secretary of the Finance Department. These were then forwarded to the Chief Minister or Finance Minister.
However, significant delays were noted, with some reports remaining with the Chief Minister/Finance Minister for up to 497 days.
The petitioners argued that the delay in forwarding these reports to the Lieutenant Governor prevented him from fulfilling his constitutional responsibility of ensuring the reports were laid before the Legislative Assembly.
The matter was brought before Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru on Monday. Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta presented the case, and the bench agreed to list the petition for a hearing on Tuesday before the appropriate branch.
According to the petition, BJP MLAs had repeatedly tried to address the issue both within and outside the Assembly. They moved motions such as Calling Attention (Rule 54), Short Duration Discussion (Rule 55), and Notice for Adjournment (Rule 59).
Outside the Assembly, they sent official communications to the Speaker and organized public protests outside the Chief Minister’s residence.
The MLAs also pointed out that despite assurances from the Delhi Government on December 16, 2024, before the High Court, the reports were still not submitted to the Assembly. Frustrated by the delays, they protested on December 19, 2024, highlighting the “unconstitutional and undemocratic” functioning of the Assembly and the failure to convene a special session.
On the same day, the petitioners met with the Speaker, and the Delhi Government submitted a memorandum promising to forward the reports within 2 to 3 days. They also urged the Speaker to schedule a special Assembly sitting to table the pending CAG reports.
The petition underscores the BJP MLAs’ demand for accountability and adherence to constitutional procedures, emphasizing the importance of timely discussion and deliberation on the CAG’s audit findings.
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